Wrobleski’s Growth Fueled by Kershaw’s Guidance

ST. LOUIS — Justin Robleski may not be poised for a Hall of Fame career, but his development as a starting pitcher has caught the attention of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

Roberts mentioned Clayton Kershaw when discussing Robleski’s progress. “He has a great mentor in Clayton,” Roberts noted. “He keeps channeling Kershaw’s mindset: attack hitters and put the ball in play.”

Robleski demonstrated that attacking the zone works, pitching six scoreless innings without any strikeouts during the Dodgers’ 4-1 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Sunday.

This performance has contributed to Robleski’s impressive streak since joining the rotation—he boasts a 5-0 record with an eye-popping 0.59 ERA since his promotion from the bullpen earlier in the season. His season ERA of 1.25 ranks second among MLB-eligible pitchers.

His reputation for attacking the strike zone is strengthening, despite recording the lowest strikeouts per nine innings in the league at 3.75. This number feels almost irrelevant given how effectively he has pitched, keeping the runs off the board.

“He knows the main goal is to get outs,” Roberts said. “You can chase strikeouts, but that often leads to inefficiency and shorter outings. Or you can be aggressive and keep getting outs.”

Robleski has clearly chosen the latter approach, thanks in part to insights gained from Kershaw, with whom he spent two years as a teammate.

Robleski does share some similarities with Kershaw, at least on the surface. “He wears Skechers just like Clayton,” Roberts joked about the younger pitcher. “And he stands on the sideline in a full jersey, just like Creighton.”

However, at 25, Robleski is starting to reflect Kershaw’s approach more profoundly.

“Watching him and his routine was special to me,” Robleski shared. “Not everyone gets to be around legends of the game.”

He explained how Kershaw’s effective use of his fastballs, sliders, and curveballs has inspired Robleski’s own pitching strategy, emphasizing the importance of mixing pitches to keep batters off balance.

“Kershaw just went out there and dominated with his abilities; he wasn’t trying to be flashy,” Robleski continued. “He executed his game plan repeatedly, perfecting his craft.”

Robleski also reviewed Kershaw’s past performances to build a “blueprint” for his own pitching, balancing both his current season and his time in the Dodgers’ farm system.

“Not everyone is the same,” he remarked, noting other stars like Jacob deGrom as alternate models. “It’s about doing what works for you, consistently.”

Kershaw, of course, isn’t against strikeouts. He reached 3,000 career strikeouts last summer, placing him among the elite pitchers in MLB history.

During his time with Kershaw, Robleski observed how the veteran shifted towards a more contact-oriented style.

Although Robleski believes strikeouts will eventually come (he averaged over 10 strikeouts per nine innings last season), he’s not concerned about their absence right now.

Like Kershaw, he’s looking for effective ways to secure wins.

“He’s ready,” Roberts said of Robleski. “He goes after guys.”